CAFCASS chair Baroness Jill Pitkeathley OBE has been appointed as chair of the Office of the Third Sector’s new advisory panel.

Reporting to Phil Hope, minister for the third sector, her role will be to “drive forward the work of the body, and be an honest broker and informed voice for the sector”.

The appointment will last until March 2011 and Pitkeathley will be paid £10,000 to head the panel, which will act as an advisory non-departmental public body.

As well as her role in the House of Lords, Pitkeathley (pictured) is also chair of CAFCASS, the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.

While her early career was as a social worker, she was chief executive of Carers UK for 12 years until 1998 and then chair of the New Opportunities Fund up until its merger with the Community Fund in 2004 to form BIG.

In 2006, she received the outstanding achievement award at the Charity Awards.

Interviews in early May

The new advisory body is being created to advise ministers and the Office of the Third Sector to oversee the implementation of the Third Sector Review commitments and priorities.

It is expected to be up and running by the end of May once interviews have taken place early next month for up to 12 members. 

Hope said: “I am looking forward to working with Jill, as she has demonstrated she has the enthusiasm and experience to do a great job in this new role. The calibre of candidates for the position was outstanding, and that in itself is a tribute to the importance of the third sector in government.”

Baroness Pitkeathley said she was honoured and delighted with the appointment. “No matter which part of the third sector you are associated with this is an exciting and challenging time.”